Process for preparing nitrobiphenylene

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a process for preparing nitrobiphenylene of formula (I) wherein m stands for 1 or 2, R means halogen, R&#39; or OR&#39;, R&#39; being a C-organic group which can carry groups which are inert in the reaction conditions, n stands for 0, 1, 2 or 3 and, if n is 2 or 3, the R groups can also be different. According to the invention, a chloronitrobenzene of formula (II) is reacted in the presence of a palladium catalyst and a base in a solvent with a phenyl boric acid (IIIa), one of its alkyl esters of formula (IIIb), R&lt;1&gt; meaning C1-C6 alkyl, or one of its anhydrides. The compounds (I) are suitable as initial products for biphenylamines which are in turn intermediate products for fungicidal plant-growth substances.



